Antibodies to the hepatocellular carcinoma oncogene and immunoassays using the same

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an oncoprotein specific for hepatocellular carcinomas and to a nucleotide sequence that codes for such a protein. The invention further relates to screening and diagnostic methodologies (and kits based thereon) that make use of the oncoprotein (or antibodies specific for same) and the nucleotide sequence.

This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/324,445, filed Oct. 18, 1994, which is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 07/575,524, filed Aug. 31, 1990, now abandoned and this application is a Continuation in Part of application Ser. No. 07/774,156, filed Oct. 15, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,926, issued Apr. 4, 1995, which is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 07/451,953, filed Dec. 19, 1989, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates, in general, to a protein of hepatoma cells, and, in particular, to an oncoprotein that is an amplified gene expression product of hepatoma cells. The invention further relates to a nucleotide fragment coding for the oncoprotein, to a recombinant molecule that includes such a fragment and to cells transformed therewith. The invention further relates to methods of detecting the presence of hepatocellular carcinomas in a patient and to kits based thereon.

2. Background Information

Epidemiological evidence has led to a strong etiological implication of several DNA viruses with the occurrence of certain cancers and other disorders in humans. These include the papillomavirus in cervical carcinoma (HPV 16) and in epidermodysplasia verruciformis (HPV 3 and 8); the Epstein-Barr virus in Burkitt's lymphoma; and the hepatitis B virus (HBV) in human hepatocellular carcinoma (Beasley et al, In: Vyas GN, Dienstag JL, Hoofnagle JH, eds. Viral hepatitis and liver disease. Orlando, Fla., Grune and Stratton, 1984, 209-224). These observations, together with the correlation of retroviral infection such as HTLV-I in Adult T-cell leukemia asserts the possible role of infectious viruses acting as transducing agents in the pathogenesis of these aforementioned human neoplasms and disorders.

The mechanism(s) by which infectious viruses exert their oncogenicity is believed to be mediated by DNA recombination with the host cell DNA. The mammalian genome contains certain genes, designated proto-oncogenes, that can acquire oncogenic properties upon transduction into the genome of acute transforming retroviruses (Bishop, Ann. Rev. Biochem. 1983, 52:301; Bishop, Cell 1985, 42:23). In certain human cancers (e.g. T24 and EJ human bladder carcinoma) it has been well documented that the identified transforming gene (H-ras-1 locus) relates to the v-rasH of the Harvey murine sarcoma virus. Among the proto-oncogenes and oncogenes, the ras family has been thoroughly characterized and studied with respect to activation and expression in human neoplasms. When a proto-oncogene undergoes point-mutation (e.g. c-rasH) or rearrangement (e.g. n-myc), such changes can lead to a loss of cell regulation in differentiation and growth, and eventually oncogenesis.

Recently, a transforming DNA sequence from a human (Mahlavu) hepatocellular carcinoma, hhc^(M), has been identified and molecularly cloned as part of a large fragment (Yang et al, J. Gen. Virol. 1982, 63:25; Yang et al, Environmental Health Perspectives 1985, 62:231). A number of hhc^(M) related DNA clones from several other human hepatocellular carcinomas have been isolated that exhibited nil to moderate cell transforming activity on NIH/3T3 cells. Two have been partially characterized and they are a moderately cell-transforming gene from Mahlavu hepatocellular carcinoma (hhc^(M)) and a putative cellular homologue (c-hhc) isolated from normal human liver DNA, which has no cell-transforming activity. The biological activities of two molecular clones of hhc^(M) and a Korean hhc^(K3) and c-hhc have been characterized and compared (Yang et al, Leukemia 1988, 2(12 Supplement)102S). Amplification of the hhc^(M) sequence in the various genomic DNAs of hepatomas from 2 Chinese, one African and 17 Korean sources, was observed and compared with the distribution of integrated HBV DNA sequences in the same hepatomas in order to provide some insight into the possible role of hhc^(M).

The present invention relates to an oncoprotein specific for hepatocellular carcinomas and to a nucleotide sequence that codes for such a protein. The invention further relates to diagnostic and screening methodologies (and kits based thereon) that make use of the oncoprotein (or antibodies specific for same) and the nucleotide sequence.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one object of the invention to provide a hepatocellular oncoprotein and a nucleotide sequence coding for same.

It is another object of the invention to provide a diagnostic test for the presence of hepatocellular carcinomas as well as preneoplastic or pathological conditions of the liver.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be clear to one skilled in the art from the description that follows.

In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a DNA fragment coding for the amino acid sequence set forth in FIG. 1 or an allelic variation of that sequence, or a unique portion thereof.

In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a recombinant DNA molecule comprising:

i) a vector, and

ii) the above-described DNA fragment.

In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to a host cell transformed with the above-described recombinant DNA molecule.

In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a nucleotide fragment sufficiently complementary to the above-described DNA fragment to hybridize therewith.

In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to a protein having the amino acid sequence set forth in FIG. 1 or an allelic variation of that sequence, or a unique portion thereof.

In another embodiment, the present invention relates to antibodies (polyclonal and/or monoclonal) specific for the above-described protein.

In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to a process of producing the above-described protein comprising culturing a host cell transformed with the above-described recombinant DNA molecule under conditions such that the DNA fragment is expressed and the protein thereby produced; and isolating the protein.

In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a method of detecting the presence of the above-described protein in a sample comprising:

i) contacting the sample with an antibody specific for the protein under conditions such that binding of the antibody to the protein can occur, whereby a complex is formed; and

ii) assaying for the presence of the complex.

In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a method of detecting the presence of a nucleotide sequence coding for the above-described protein in a sample comprising:

i) contacting the sample with a nucleotide fragment sufficiently complementary to the nucleotide sequence to hybridize therewith under conditions such that hybridization can occur, whereby a complex is formed, and

ii) assaying for the presence of the complex.

In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to a method of diagnosing the presence of hepatocellular carcinoma in a patient comprising:

i) contacting a biological sample from the patient with the above-described antibody under conditions such that binding of the antibody to the protein present in the sample can occur, whereby a complex is formed; and

ii) assaying for the presence of the complex.

In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a method of diagnosing the presence of hepatocellular carcinoma in a patient comprising:

i) contacting nucleic acid sequences derived from a cellular sample from the patient with the above-described nucleotide fragment under conditions such that hybridization can occur, whereby a complex is formed; and

ii) assaying for the presence of the complex.

In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a diagnostic kit for detecting the presence of the above-described protein in a sample comprising a container means having disposed therewithin antibodies specific for the protein.

In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to a diagnostic kit for detecting the presence of a nucleic acid sequence coding for a protein having the amino acid sequence set forth in FIG. 1 or an allelic variation of the sequence, or a unique portion thereof, comprising a container means having disposed therewithin the above-described nucleotide fragment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1: Complete nucleotide sequence of hhc^(M), and the amino acid sequence of a 52,000 dalton protein encoded within its open reading frame.

FIG. 2: Construction of hhc^(M) -LacZ chimeric plasmid for the production of the hhc^(M) 52 kD protein.

FIG. 3: Aflatoxin B₁ epoxide binding on high molecular weight DNAs prepared from human hepatocellular carcinoma (Mahlavu), human normal liver and from murine (NIH/3T3) fibroblasts.

FIG. 4: Identification of the dG bound by AFB₁ epoxide within the hhc^(M) (PM-1) DNA by a modified Maxam-Gilbert sequencing method. Nucleotide sequences are specified on the side. The left panel illustrates ladder for all four 6deoxynucleotides and AFB₁ -dG; only native dG and AFB₁ -dG were given in all other three panels on the right. aG=AFB₁ bound dG at all time; °G=dG that was not reacted with AFB₁ ; whereas °G=moderately preferred dG.

FIG. 5: Kinetic analysis of protein production in E. coli cells harboring pJZ102. Plasmid pJZ102 and control plasmid pJZ101 were cultured in E. coli cells until cell density reached a Klett reading of 80, at which point the inducer, IPTG (final concentration, 10⁻³ mol), was added to activate transcription from the lac promoter for the production of the chimeric hhc^(M) -lac 52-kD protein. One ml samples of the cultures were removed at specified times, pelleted by centrifugation and lysed, and the proteins were denatured by boiling in Laemmli buffer. Equivalent aliquots of each sample were applied and analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as described in (Somerville et al., Structural and Organizational Aspects of Metabolic Regulation: UCLA Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology, New Series, Vol. 133, p. 181-197. New York: Alan R. Liss, Inc. 1990). The lanes represent: (a) pJZ102+ITPG at time zero; (b) pJZ102-ITPG at time zero, and 20 hours (c); pJZ102+ITPG at 30 minutes (d), 4 hours (e), 7 hours (f), and 20 hours (g). Dark field microscopy of pJZ102 transformed E. coli cells+ITPG at 0 time (a'), 30 minutes (b'), 4 hours (e'), 7 hours (f'), and 20 hours (g'). Prestained molecular weight markers (m) in kD are 130 (faint band on top), 94, 75, 50, 39, 27, 17.

FIG. 6:

(A) Purified hhc^(M) fusion protein p52 produced in bacteria and (B) specificity of a polyclonal anti-p52 IgG. A, SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of bacterially expressed p52. All conditions for the bacterial expression of chimeric hhc^(M) -lac fusion proteins were as described in FIG. 5. Lanes d, e, and e' represent total cell extracts of pJZ102-bearing E. coli cells (in varying amounts) induced by IPTG and lane f represents the total cell extracts of a negative control pJZ101-bearing E. coli cells. Lanes a (5 μl ), b (15 μl) and c (1 μl) depict different amounts of gel purified p52 that was used to immunize rabbits. Lane m depicts pre-stained molecular markers in kD of 75, 57, 50, 39, 27, 17.

(B) Reactivity of a polyclonal anti-p52. Anti-p52 polyclonal IgG was raised by immunizing rabbits. SDS polyacrylamide gel purified p52 at 0.8 to 1.0 mg each was used to immunize the New Zealand White rabbit by standard techniques. Two booster injections were given. Detergent (0.2% SDS) lyzed samples corresponding to 0.2 ml of packed human hepatoma cells (1/3:v/v) including Mahlavu hepatocellular carcinoma, Hp3p21.7 and HPG2, and pB^(r) pM-1 transfected BRL-1 tumor cells and control BRL-1 cells and p52, at 10 μl each were applied to sample well and allowed to diffuse and cross-react overnight against the polyclonal anti-p52 IgG. Results were recorded at 48 hours.

FIG. 7: DNA-DNA hybridization against ³² P-hhc^(M) DNA.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an oncoprotein coded for by a transforming nucleotide sequence of hepatocellular carcinomas and to the transforming sequence itself. The invention further relates to unique portions (i.e., at least 5 amino acids) of the oncoprotein, and to nucleotide sequences (fragments) that code for such polypeptides. The invention further relates to nucleotide segments sufficiently complementary to the above-described nucleotide sequences (fragments) to be used as probes for detecting the presence of such nucleotide sequences (fragments). The invention also relates to diagnostic and screening methodologies for use in detecting the presence of hepatocellular carcinomas (as well as preneoplastic or pathological conditions of the liver) in a warm blood animal.

The oncoprotein of the present invention is an amplified gene expression product of hepatoma cells that is specifically related to hepatomas. The protein can have the complete sequence given in FIG. 1, in which case it is designated hhc^(M). The protein can also have the amino acid sequence of a molecule having substantially the same properties (e.g., immunological) as the molecule given in FIG. 1 (for example, allelic forms of the FIG. 1 sequence). Alternatively, the protein (or polypeptide) of the invention can have an amino acid sequence corresponding to a unique portion of the sequence given in FIG. 1 (or allelic form thereof).

The protein can be present in a substantially pure form, that is, in a form substantially free of proteins and nucleic acids with which it is normally associated in the liver. The oncoprotein of the invention, including that made in cell-free extracts using corresponding mRNA, and the oncoprotein made using recombinant techniques, can be purified using protocols known in the art. The oncoprotein, or unique portion thereof, can be used as an antigen, in protocols known in the art, to produce antibodies thereto, monoclonal and polyclonal.

In another embodiment, the present invention relates, as indicated above, to nucleotide sequences (fragments) (including cDNA sequences) that encode the entire amino acid sequence given in FIG. 1 (the specific DNA sequence given in FIG. 1 being only one example), or any unique portion thereof. Nucleotide sequences to which the invention relates also include those coding for proteins (or polypeptides) having substantially the same properties (e.g., immunological) of the hhc^(M) polypeptide (for example, allelic forms of the amino acid sequence of FIG. 1). The invention further relates to nucleotide segments sufficiently complementary to the above-described nucleotide sequences (fragments) to hybridize therewith (e.g. under stringent conditions).

In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a recombinant molecule that includes a vector and a nucleotide sequence (fragment) as described above (advantageously, a DNA sequence coding for the molecule shown in FIG. 1 or a molecule having the properties thereof). The vector can take the form of a virus or a plasmid vector. The sequence can be present in the vector operably linked to regulatory elements, including, for example, a promoter (e.g., the LacZ promoter). The recombinant molecule can be suitable for transforming procaryotic or eucaryotic cells, advantageously, protease deficient E. coli cells.

A specific example of a recombinant molecule of the invention is shown in FIG. 2. In this example, the hcc^(M) nucleotide sequence is placed in a chimeric construct by replacing the codons of the original N-terminus 18 amino acids of the hhc^(M) p52kD with the procaryote LacZ expression/translation sequence plus codons for 11 amino acids by appropriate recombinant DNA manipulations (Yang et al. Proc. of the XIV Inter. Symp. Sponsored by the International Association for Comparative Research on Leukemia and Related Diseases Nov. 1989 (Vale, Colo.)). Driven by the LacZ promoter, the resultant chimeric gene is expressed at high levels in a protease deficient E. coli mutant at 30° C. In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to a host cell transformed with the above-described recombinant molecule. The host can be procaryotic (for example, bacterial (advantageously E. coli)), lower eucaryotic (i.e., fungal, including yeast) or higher eucaryotic (i.e. mammalian, including human). Transformation can be effected using methods known in the art. The transformed host cells can be used as a source for the nucleotide sequence described above (which sequence constitutes part of the recombinant molecule). When the recombinant molecule takes the form of an expression system (see specific construct described above), the transformed cells can be used as a source for the oncoprotein.

The oncoprotein and nucleic acid sequence of the present invention can be used both in a research setting (for example, to facilitate an understanding of how and why hepatocellular carcinomas develop) and in a clinical setting to, for example, diagnosis (and/or screening) the presence and/or progress of hepatocellular carcinomas (as well as preneoplastic or pathological condition of the liver).

The diagnostic/screening methodologies referred to above can be carried out using antisera or monoclonal antibodies (produced using known techniques) against the oncoprotein (or unique portions thereof) of the invention. For example, the diagnostic method can take the form of an immunoassay that can be used with urine or serum samples of patients at high risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (e.g. chronic hepatitis carriers) and/or of populations in the geographically identified hot-spots of liver cancer (e.g. Chitung Province of China). The screening immunoassay can be of the simple dip-stick type where binding of one member of the antigen/antibody pair, attached to the stick, with the other member of the pair, present in the sample, is accompanied by a color change (such dip-stick type assays have been described for use with a variety of binding pairs). Such simple tests would be easily and widely applicable to populations in areas where analytical electrophoresis equipment (required for detecting alpha-fetoprotein levels in patients' sera, which levels are currently used in screening and diagnosing the presence of hepatocellular carcinomas) may not be readily available.

The diagnostic methods of the invention can also take the form of a histochemical diagnostic tests involving the use of antibodies against the protein or polypeptide of the invention. Such a test can be used on frozen or prefixed liver thin section samples to enable a more definite diagnosis of liver cancer.

The diagnostic methods of the invention can also involve the use of nucleic acid probes sufficiently complementary to a portion of the nucleic acid sequence of the invention to hybridize thereto. Such probes can be used to detect the presence of the endogenous sequence, for example, following electrophoresis of genomic DNA digested with appropriate restriction enzymes. The probe can be labelled, for example, with 32P, to facilitate detection.

The invention further relates to diagnostic/screening kits for use in carrying out the above methods. The kits can comprise, for example, the above-described antibodies specific for the oncoprotein (or polypeptide) of the invention or, alternatively, the above-described nucleic acid probes, together with any ancillary reagents (e.g., buffers, detectable markers, enzyme substrates, etc.) necessary to conducting the test.

The invention is described in further detail in the following non-limiting Examples.

EXAMPLES

The following protocols are referenced in the Examples that follow:

Molecular cloning of hhc^(M)

Genomic DNA purified from human normal liver and Mahlavu (African) hepatocellular carcinoma (HHC), as described below, were subjected to complete digestion by HindIII restriction endonuclease. (Other restriction endonucleases including BamHI, EcoRI and PstI, were also used for isolating genomic DNA fragments from HHC and liver DNA in an attempt to clone HHC DNA sequences; the clones isolated from these efforts were not successful with respect to transfection studies.) The DNA samples both ³ H!aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁)-epoxide bound (as described below) and unbound, were separated into 180 fractions by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Specificity of ³ H!AFB₁ -epoxide per μg of DNA was determined. Fractions with significant ³ H!AFB₁ -epoxide specific activity were used in DNA transfection assay on NIH3T3 cells as described below. Fractions showing positive focus formation indicating positive cell transformation, were identified and the parallel unbound DNA fractions were molecularly cloned by ligation onto the HindIII site of pBR322, pBR325 and/or Puc 8 plasmid DNAs for transformation of E. coli HB101 cells as described elsewhere (Yang et al., J. Gen. Virol. 1982, 63:25). Primary selection of the resultant clones was thus based on (1) the sensitivity to tetracycline, and/or color change associated with the disruption of the lacz operon containing the B-galactosidase coding sequence of the plasmid; and (2) the capability of cell-transformation in transfection assays on NIH3T3 cells with or without AFB₁ binding; (3) the presence of human sequence in colony-hybridization and DNA-DNA hybridization against ³² P!probes prepared from human Alu sequence (Lawn et al., Cell 1978, 15:1157) and also ³² P!labelled HindIII digested MAH HHC DNA fragments; and (4) ³ H!AFB₁ -epoxide binding on the DNA fragments. After screening over 30,000 clones by these quadruple technical approaches including ³ H!AFB₁ binding, transfection assay on NIH3T3 cells and DNA-DNA hybridization against the ³² P!Alu and ³² P!HindIII MAH HHC DNA probes, three clones were isolated. One particular 3.1 kb DNA restriction fragment constitutes the hhc^(M) DNA.

Preparation of plasmid DNA and AFB₁ binding

The clone used in these studies has been referred to as PM-1. Plasmid DNA was prepared by the Holmes' method, i.e. the rapid heating method, followed by CsCl₂ -ethidium bromide isopycnic centrifugation at 180,000×g for 20 hrs (Maniatis et al., Molecular Cloning, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. 1982). The banded PM-1 DNA was then purified free of ethidium bromide by isopropanol extraction and exhaustive dialysis against TEN buffer. A yield of 25 to 50 μg of total plasmid DNA per 5 ml of culture was generally obtained. The 3.1 kb hhc^(M) DNA was then separated from PUC 8 DNA and other contaminants by digesting the PM-1 DNA with HindIII endonuclease and then subjecting to agarose gel electrophoresis and electroelution of the separated 3.1 kb band. The resultant 3.1 kb hhc^(M) DNA was homogeneously purified and used in AFB₁ activation experiments.

The hhc^(M) 3.1 kb DNA was also cloned into a pSVneo vector that carried a murine retroviral (Moloney) LTR, SV40 promoter and part of the T antigen besides the neomycin resistance gene. This clone, rpMpN-1, is expressed at a significantly higher level when transfected into cells and offers special advantages for transfection assay.

³ H!AFB₁ at 15 Ci/mmole specificity was acquired from Morales Laboratory, CA. It was further purified by HPLC to homogeneity and the resultant single peak of ³ H!AFB₁ had the specific activity of 9,250 cpm/pmole. It was used in activation reactions with either mixed function oxidases freshly prepared from liver microsomal preparation or by the chemical peroxidation reaction using perchlorobenzoic acid and methylene chloride as described earlier (Bennett et al., Cancer Res. 1981, 41:650; Garner et al., Chem. Biol. Interact. 1979, 26:57). Binding of ³ H!AFB₁ epoxide with either high molecular weight HHC or plasmid DNA was monitored by kinetic analysis (Yang et al. Environmental Health Perspective 1985, 62:231 and Modali and Yang, Monitoring of Occupational Genotoxicants pp. 147-158 (1986)). Samples withdrawn at each time point was washed free of unbound ³ H!AFB₁ epoxide with chloroform, and ethanol precipitated prior to redissolving the ³ !AFB₁ -DNA in Tris-EDTA-NaCl (TEN) buffer for transfection assay or sequence analysis.

Cells, tissue culture and transfection assay

NIH/3T3 cells, passage 6 to 11, and Buffalo rat liver cells (BRL-1) for transfection assays, were maintained in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's media supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated fetal calf serum, penicillin (50 units ml⁻¹) and streptomycin (25 μg ml⁻¹) (DMEM) in a 5% CO₂ atmosphere, at 37° C.

DNA transfection was carried out as described earlier (see Yang et al. 1985 and Modali and Yang 1986, referenced above). Optimal conditions were achieved by carefully titrating the pH curve for the DNA-calcium phosphate complex mixture; it was usually found that pH 6.75 ensured a fine complex precipitation.

Preparations of DNA and RNA from tissue culture cells and tumor tissues

Total high molecular weight (HMW) DNA was extracted and purified from tissue culture cells and tumor tissues as described elsewhere (Yang et al., 1985 referenced above). The HMW DNA thus purified, has been subjected to proteinase K digestion, first sequential chemical purification with phenol-cresol, chloroform-isoamyl alcohol, ether and ethanol-NaCl precipitation, followed by RNase digestion and a second sequential chemical purification. The purified DNAs were then dialyzed against TEN buffer for use in experiments. Total RNA was extracted from tissue culture cells and prepared as described previously (Maniatis et al., 1982 referenced above). Poly A rich RNA was obtained by affinity separation with oligo dT cellulose (Collaborative Research, MA.) column elution.

Tumorigenesis

Transformed cells, cloned out from the transfected cell culture by either cloning cylinder method or terminal dilution method, were expanded and inoculated at 10⁴ to 10⁵ cells into athymic Swiss nu/nu mice subcutaneously. Tumorigenesis in the challenged mice was monitored closely.

Nucleotide sequence analysis and site-targeted mutagenesis

Nucleotide sequencing of the hhc^(M) 3.1 kb and variants produced by site-targeted mutagenesis were carried out by the standard Maxam-Gilbert Methods in Enzymology 1980, 65:499 and the Sanger (M13) dideoxy sequencing methods (Maniatis et al., 1982 referenced above).

Specified oligonucleotide sequence of 20 mers carrying the targeted dG→T mutation were synthesized by the Applied Biosystem oligonucleotide synthesizers. They were used as templates in generating the mutated clones. Mutant DNA clones were produced in accordance with the protocol provided by and using the oligonucleotide-directed in vitro system of Amersham (Arlington Hts., Ill.). DNAs of the mutated clones were verified by nucleotide sequencing. Effects of these site-targeted mutagenized DNA were analyzed by potentiation of cell-transformation in transfection assay on NIH/3T3 cells and RNA expressions in transfected cells using the BRL dot-blot technique (Bethesda Research Laboratory, Rockville, Md.).

EXAMPLE I Dosimetry of AFB₁ binding and potentiation of hhc^(M) cell-transformation capability on NIH/3T3 cells

AFB₁ epoxide binds high molecular weight DNAs prepared from human hepatoma, human liver and mouse NIH/3T3 cells efficiently (FIG. 3). The initial rates in each binding kinetic were extremely rapid. The rates of AFB₁ -epoxide binding to human normal liver or hepatoma DNA and to murine NIH/3T3 cell DNA became significantly different after one minute of binding reaction. The MAH HHC DNA showed a greater rate of binding than normal liver DNA and all the dG targets became saturated earlier, whereas AFB₁ epoxide bound the normal liver DNA at a slower rate but eventually saturated all the dG targets at a slightly lower level. The human DNAs showed a higher level of AFB₁ binding than the murine NIH/3T3 cell DNA. The overall AFB₁ specific activity, i.e. AFB₁ -dG adduct, was found to be about one dG bound per 10 nucleotides among these high molecular weight double stranded DNAs. This overall specificity also took into consideration the existence of secondary or tertiary structure of the high molecular weight DNAs. AFB₁ epoxide binding on linearized 3.1 kb double stranded hhc^(M) DNA was consistently found to be 4 to 8 dG bound per 10⁴ nucleotides. This higher binding capability reflects the relatively easy accessibility of dG within the linearized double stranded PM-1 DNA by AFB₁ epoxide and should not be compared with the efficiency of AFB₁ -dG adduct formation with high molecular weight native double-stranded DNA.

Within a finite dosimetry the binding of AFB₁ epoxide with dG potentiates the cell-transformation capability of hhc^(M) by 10 to 20 fold as seen in the experiment illustrated in Table 1.

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                         AFB.sub.1 Dose-dependent Activation of PM-1 DNA in The                         transformation of NUH/3T3 cells                                                               AFB.sub.1 femtomole                                                                         Number of Foci                                     DNA Source     per 100 ng DNA                                                                              per 100 ng DNA                                     ______________________________________                                         hhc.sup.M (PM-1)                                                                              0            15 × 10.sup.-1                               c-Ha-ras-1     0            465                                                c-K-ras-1      0            0                                                  c-hhc (human liver homolog)                                                                   0            0                                                  E. coli        0            0                                                  hhc.sup.M (PM-1)                                                                              0            15 × 10.sup.-1                               hhc.sup.M (PM-1)                                                                              5            18                                                                14           26                                                                24           66                                                                35           3                                                  c-hhc          0            0                                                                 8            0                                                                 15           0                                                                 30           0                                                                 40           0                                                  ______________________________________                                          AFB.sub.1 binding and transfection assay were as described in Methods.         Data were calculated on the basis of per 100 ng. In the assay with unboun      hhc.sup.M DNA the trasfection assays were carried out with 500 ng to 1.5       ug of DNA in order to obtain reasonable foci formation on NIH/3T3 cells.       Transfection with AFB.sub.1epoxide bound DNA was carried out at a range o      50 to 500 ng DNA. Data were normalized to show potentiation of hhc.sup.M       celltransformation capability by AFB.sub.1epoxide activation.            

Whereas the efficiency of unbound PM-1 DNA in transforming NIH/3T3 cells was usually observed at about 15 FFU/μg DNA the efficiency of AFB₁ epoxide activated PM-1 DNA was optimized at 66 FFU/100 ng DNA, an increase of 20 fold. The possibility of non-specific mutagenization accounting for this potentiation were considered. That this potentiation effect was due to free AFB₁ that diffused into the cell or recycling of AFB₁ adducts has been ruled out earlier with the appropriate control experiments which showed that activation of normal liver or E. coli DNA at the same dosimetry failed to activate any cell-transforming capability (Yang et al., 1985 referenced above). Moreover in this experiment with AFB₁ activated DNA from c-ras^(k) -1 or c-hhc, a normal human liver homolog to hhc^(M) as the appropriate controls, no cell-transformation of NIH/3T3 cells was obtained suggesting that AFB₁ epoxide activated PM-1 DNA was not a random phenomenon. Moreover the AFB₁ dose-dependency of PM-1 DNA in cell-transformation efficiency (Table 1) further substantiated the specificity of AFB₁ epoxide binding in conferring the potentiation of cell-transformation. Whereas optimal dosimetry was seen at 24 femtomole AFB₁ /100 ng of PM-1 DNA, at dosimetry beyond 45 femtomole per 100 ng of PM-1 DNA, an overkill effect was observed. No transformed foci were obtained in NIH/3T3 cells transfected with AFB₁ epoxide bound PM-1 DNA although human DNA was incorporated into the NIH/3T3 cells in a degraded form (Yang et al., 1985 and Modali and Yang, 1986 referenced above). This observation suggested that over activation of PM-1 DNA not only generated scissions in the molecule but possibly degradation leading to a loss of biological activity. It was also evident from these results that no more than one or at most a few AFB₁ -dG adducts per PM-1 DNA molecule could be tolerated by the hhc^(M) DNA before the biological activity of the hhc^(M) DNA became compromised and at the risk of survival. Moreover the potentiation of hhc^(M) DNA in cell-transformation probably necessitates no more than one or at most a finite number of AFB₁ bindings.

EXAMPLE II Specificity of the AFB₁ -epoxide binding on dG's of PM-1DNA

Deoxyguanine nucleotide of native DNA, when bound by AFB₁ epoxide, became alkali and therefore could be identified by piperidine cleavage; whereas unbound deoxyguanine nucleotide within the same native DNA would not cleave without dimethyl sulfide (alkali) treatment. FIG. 4 shows the dG targets within the PM-1 DNA when bound at a saturation conditions. When the targeted sequences are evaluated in sets of tetranucleotides, an empirical formulation can be derived on the basis of the binding pattern of AFB₁ epoxide with the dG's in PM-1 DNA. Table 2 summarizes the nucleotide sequence in a set of tetranucleotides that were seen and targeted by AFB₁ epoxide. As shown in FIG. 4, the dG within a sequence of any one of the following tetranucleotides of AGAG, AGTT, TGTT, TGAT, or AGAA, escaped attack by AFB₁ epoxide and hence showed no cleavage in the sequence without prior DMS treatment. This is confirmed by the distinct cleavage of dG as a result of AFB₁ epoxide attack on dG in a sequences of GGGC, CGGC, AGGC, TGGC or CGCG. Upon evaluating the various sequences in which a dG target could be accessed by AFB₁ epoxide, it can be concluded that within a double stranded DNA, the least likely dG target would be that flanked by dA and dT, i.e. category III. The most likely dG target would be that flanked by dG and/or dC, i.e. category I, and that tetranucleotide sequences in which dG is either preceded by dA or T and followed by dG and dC would be the moderately preferred targets of AFB₁ epoxide, i.e. category II. This, of course, does not take into consideration the secondary or the tertiary structure of the DNA in its natural state since these analyses were done on linearized double-stranded DNA. It should also be mentioned that whereas the dG binding affinity of AFB₁ -epoxide was greatly affected by the vicinal nucleotides in the double-stranded PM-1 DNA, no specificity was observed with respect to AFB₁ -epoxide binding to dG in single stranded DNA. The observations of Modali and Yang (1986 referenced above) were basically in agreement with others working on AFB₁ binding on OX174 and pBR 322 DNAs (Misra et al., Biochemistry, 1983, 22:3351).

                  TABLE 2                                                          ______________________________________                                         Vicinal Nucleotide Sequence Dictates The dG                                    Targets of AFB.sub.1 -Epoxide Binding*                                         Preferred Targets  Least Favored Targets                                       Category I         Category III                                                ______________________________________                                           *                  *                                                         GGGG               AGAG                                                        GGGC               AGTG                                                        GGGA               AGAA                                                        GGGT               AGAC                                                                           AGAT                                                        CGGG               TGAG                                                        AGGG               TGAC                                                        TGGG               TGAA                                                                           TGAC                                                        CGGC               TGTG                                                        AGGC               TGTA                                                        TGGC               TGTC                                                                           TGTT                                                        CGGA                                                                           AGGA                                                                           TGGA                                                                           CGGT                                                                           AGGT                                                                           TGGT.                                                                          ______________________________________                                          *This table represents the dG targets of AFB.sub.1epoxide binding observe      in studies with linearized double stranded PM1 DNA. Moderately preferred       dG targets, i.e. Category II, are omitted here but are described elsewher      (Modali and Yang, 1986).                                                 

Within the past two years, the nucleotide sequence of hhc^(M) has been resolved by a combination of Maxam-Gilbert nucleotide sequencing technique and the M13 dideoxy method using the BRL kilobase sequencing system. Applying these empirical rules in computer analysis of the hhc^(M) 3.1 kb nucleotide sequence, the most and moderately preferred dG targets within the various loci of hhc^(M) have been predicted (Table 3). Although a maximum number of 60 dG targets was predicted on the basis of AFB₁ -epoxide binding studies with linearized 3.1 kb hhc^(M) DNA, it was evident upon examining the possible secondary and tertiary structure of hhc^(M) sequence, that a much lower number of dG targets would be accessible by AFB₁ -epoxide. Moreover, only a few such induced mutations would produce any effect of survival value.

                                      TABLE 3                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Predicted dG Targets within The Nucleotide Sequence of hhc.sup.M               Preferrentailly Attacked by AFB.sub.1 -Epoxide                                  ##STR1##                                                                      __________________________________________________________________________      73                                                                             74                                                                             84                                                                             97                                                                             98                                                                             125                                                                            126                                                                            140                                                                            221                                                                            223                                                                            224                                                                            307                                                                            308                                                                            371                                                                            391                                                                           472                                                                             481                                                                            492                                                                            494                                                                            495                   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   1354                                                                           1404                                                                           1405                                                                           1431                                                                           1543                                                                           1588                                                                           1637                                                                           1652                                                                           1765                                                                           1815                                                                           1853                                                                           1862                                                                           1868                                                                           1878                                                                           1986                                                                           2064                                                                           2094                                                                           2205                                                                           2315                                                                           2331                                                                           2352                                                                           2352                                                                           2460                                                                           2482                                                                           2718                                                                           2797                                                                           2884                                                                           2926                                                                           __________________________________________________________________________

In order to analyze the possible effect of any such AFB₁ induced dG→T mutation, site-targeted mutagenesis study of the hhc^(M) DNA was initiated using polynucleotides of 20 mers that carried a predicted dG→dT point-mutation, presumably the result of an AFB₁ -epoxide mutagenesis. Thus far, only a few of the predicted dG→dT mutagenesis sites have been analyzed and these are summarized in Table 4. The recombinant construct carrying the hhc^(M) sequence in the SV40 T antigen vector plus a neomycin resistance marker, rpN'pM-1 was used in this study since it offered the advantage of selecting the transfected cells by its resistance to Gentamicin sulfate (G418), an analog of neomycin. Using expression of hhc^(M) specific mRNA as a criterion, we analyzed by Northern dot-blot in a semi-quantitative assay of the mRNA, i.e. poly A enriched RNA, expressed in the G418 resistant NIH/3T3 cells after transfection with the mutagenized hhc^(M) sequence. Focal transformation in these cells was monitored for 4 to 6 weeks.

Results from seven mutagenized clones, for which nucleotide sequence confirmation was available, suggested that, thus far, mutation leading to a structural protein alteration did not seem to potentiate the cell-transformation of hhc^(M) (Table 4). Alternatively the introduced dG→T mutations which led to amino acid substitution, thus far, have not altered cell-transformation or expression of mRNA levels. These included mutation at 577 which caused an amino acid substitution of Gly→Val, and mutation at 1005 which resulted in no amino acid substitution because of the wobbling code.

Within the hhc^(M) nucleotide sequence, there exists an apparent open reading frame, ORF, coding for a polypeptide of about 467 amino acids. This was in good agreement with a 55-57 kD protein and some smaller polypeptide including one 53 kD protein observed in cell-free protein synthesis using hhc^(M) -specific mRNA in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system. dG→T mutations at nucleotide 73 and 74 in the 5' terminus, which bears the consensus sequence for ribosomal RNA binding site just 5' ahead of the first methionine codon, blocked cell transformation although hhc^(M) specific mRNA level showed no difference. This could be the result of blocking protein synthesis. Likewise, interpreted as a mutations at 492 and 550 also blocked cell-transformation since a stop codon (UGA) was introduced in each case to stop protein synthesis prematurely.

It was of interest to note that dG→T mutation at 626 generated a sequence resembling the enhancer sequence for RNA polymerase II, which was reported to function even within the coding sequence (footnote of Table 4). The level of mRNA level was increased by 1.5 fold and cell transformation seemed to be enhanced by a slight increase in the number of foci per μg of DNA. This observation suggested that one possible action by which AFB₁ induced mutation in hhc^(M) which itself is a moderately transforming DNA sequence, led to increase in its transformation potential is through augmentation of hhc^(M) expression. This is analogous to other observations which also indicated that an elevated expression of the cellular ras proto-onocgene driven by a murine LTR sequence, containing both promoter and enhancer sequence, also led to cell transformation in tissue culture cells predisposed to immortality.

                  TABLE 4                                                          ______________________________________                                         The Effect of dG → dT Mutation Induced by Site-Targetted                Mutagenesis Within The hhc.sup.M DNA Sequence                                                         mRNA      Cell                                          # on hhc.sup.M                                                                         Sequence       Synthesis.sup.#                                                                          Transformation.sup.#                          ______________________________________                                          73                                                                                     ##STR2##      +         -.sup.@1                                       74                                                                                     ##STR3##      +         -.sup.@1                                      492                                                                                     ##STR4##      +         -.sup.@2                                      550                                                                                     ##STR5##      +         -.sup.@2                                      577                                                                                     ##STR6##      +         +                                             626                                                                                     ##STR7##      ++        ++.sup.@3                                     1005                                                                                    ##STR8##      +         +                                             ______________________________________                                          .sup.@1 Disruption of ribosomal RNA (16S) binding site: AGGA.                  ##STR9##                                                                       ##STR10##                                                                      # Cell transformation was determined by transfection analysis as describe      in Methods and mRNA synthesis in transfected cells was determined by           Northern dotblot analysis with  .sup.32 P!3.1 kb hhc.sup.M DNA.          

EXAMPLE III Hhc^(M) -p52 and anti-p52 and their use as screening and diagnostic reagents for human hepatocellular carcinoma and related liver preneoplastic pathological conditions

Hhc^(M) -p52 as a fusion protein was produced by a bacterial system described above at high levels (FIG. 5). This protein was used to generate a panel of both monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against related human hepatoma proteins (see FIG. 6). Anti-p52, a polyvalent antibody against hhc^(M) -p52 was produced and shown to be highly specific against an African (Mahlavu) hepatoma and a Philadelphia hepatoma (FIG. 6).

Assays for the presence of hepatoma specific protein p52 in tumor samples entail diffusion and immunoprecipitation using the tumor sample extracts reacted with anti-p52, with or without radioactive or immunofluorescence labels. Further, anti-p52, labelled with either a radioactive compound or with a chromophore, is useful in RIPA or colorchange assays, respectively, for testing for the presence of hepatoma related proteins shed by the patient in sera and urine samples. Fluorescence imagery analysis using anti-p52 conjugated to a fluorescence compound or another suitable compound for systemic perfusion, provide the ability to localize in situ preneoplastic or neoplastic lesions by scanning. Localization of lesions permits laser removal with surgical precision, and/or other treatment.

Hhc^(M) -p52 nucleotide sequence, labelled appropriately, can be applied to diagnose hepatomas in biopsy samples. Hhc^(M) -related nucleic acid sequences can be detected in needle biopsy samples of patients suspected of carrying preneoplastic nodules or liver cancer. This is accomplished by the using the polymerase chain reaction to amplify "hhc^(M) -like" sequences using fragments of the hhc^(M) -p52 sequence as primers, and then detecting the presence of such hhc^(M) -like sequences in the biopsy sample with labelled hhc^(M) -p52 as a probe in a DNA-DNA hybridization reaction. Such an example is shown in FIG. 7.

The entire contents of all references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference.

The present invention has been described in some detail for purposes of clarity and understanding. One skilled in the art will appreciate from a reading of this disclosure that various changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the true scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. Antibodies specific for a protein having the amino acid sequence as shown in FIG. 1 or a naturally occurring allelic variation of said sequence.
 2. The antibodies according to claim 1, wherein said antibodies are polyclonal.
 3. A diagnostic kit for detecting the presence of a protein in a sample, said protein having the sequence shown in FIG. 1 or naturally occurring allelic variations thereof, comprising a container means having disposed therewithin antibodies according to claim
 1. 4. A method of detecting the presence of a protein in a sample, said protein having the amino acid sequence as shown in FIG. 1 or a naturally occurring allelic variation thereof, comprising:i) contacting the sample with an antibody according to claim 1 under conditions such that binding of said antibody to said protein can occur and whereby an antibody-protein complex is formed; and ii) assaying for the presence of said complex.
 5. The method according the claim 4 wherein said antibody is linked to a detectable label.
 6. The method according to claim 4 wherein said sample is a tissue sample. 